02/23/2015

Hey guys! I hope you had a beautiful weekend! We spent some time in Antibes, France and it was wonderful. I'll share more later this week!

I thought I'd do an Airbnb post for all of you - this is the ONLY way we travel in Europe and I often get questions/blog comments/emails asking me how it works and now and then I get requests for a blog post, so I thought I'd write one up.

If you have more specific questions, feel free to ask in the comments and I'll answer there!

What is Airbnb? Airbnb is an online community marketplace that connects people looking to rent their homes with people who are looking for accommodations.

Why does my family use Airbnb? We use it exclusively. Because of occupancy laws in Europe we would have to rent at least two hotel rooms for my big family. That is NOT financially doable for us. We need room to spread out and a kitchen. Renting an entire apartment/home is perfect for us. Not to mention SO much cheaper. You can rent an entire space for 100 dollars a night. That's not going to happen in the hotel world! Plus- we believe it allows us to see and experience new places in an authentic way.

1. Sign Up- HERE is my referral link. If you use this link, we will both get travel credit. If you don't want to give me travel credit, that's fine too. Just sign up directly at airbnb.com .

2. Search by Location/Date Range/Number of Guests - You don't have to be terribly specific on location. You can even enter an area.

3. Narrow it down - When you get to the next page, you can refine your search on the left. I ALWAYS choose "entire place" because shared room/etc wouldn't work for my family. You can also set a price range here, though I rarely do that.

4. Click on the map to zoom. Make sure that the "search when I move the map" option is clicked and look around the map of the city you are staying in. Do research on what the good/fun areas are and look in those spots. If those are too expensive then find an apartment that is close to the metro/public transportation!

5. Click on the geotags to see the homes up close. This will give you a thumbnail photo of the house. You can also scroll through the options on the left side of the screen, but I prefer using the map/geotags.

6. Click on the thumbnail to see all of the facts on the lodging- Photos are SO important. If there are no photos, no feedback, or there are 2 photos that are blurry/uploaded in the wrong direction then...NO. Shady. Really take your time. Read every word, every review. Look at photos. Trust your gut.

7. Read the reviews closely- This is the best way to get a true sense of what you are getting into. Note: Every airbnb apartment has to have a FIRST time rental. We were first time renters in the Positano apartment and it was probably our favorite. But just be careful. Make sure the owner is verified, etc.

8. Send the owner a message if you need clarification - don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions.

9.Request to book- Many times if you are messaging with an owner he/she will give you pre-verification. That means you can book as soon as you are ready. There are also instant bookings. But most of the time you will request to book, the owner will approve, and THEN it will be finalized. It usually takes time. Note: Airbnb does not authorize payment to the owner until you have been in your lodging for 24 hours. This is a good thing. :)

10. Enjoy your trip!

Tips:

1. Read the fine print. I can't stress this enough. Sometimes there are hidden fees, sometimes the host expects you to pay extra for bed linens (NO THANK YOU). Sometimes the house doesn't supply extra toilet paper or hand soap and you need to bring those things. How is the parking? Are there dedicated parking spots or a garage close by? Check cancellation policies.

2. Don't be afraid to ask for a better price. When you select the number of guests you will notice that sometimes the number really jumps the higher you go. If there is a HUGE price difference between four and six guests I will often email the host and explain that two of the guests are small twins and ask if they will count them as one (or not count them at all) and that we really want to come but we'd love some help with our budget. No one has ever said no.

3. Treat the homes with respect and clean up after yourself. Your host will review you after your stay (as you will review them) and good ratings are crucial for your airbnb experience. I always (even if the host doesn't request it) strip the sheets and place the towels in a pile. We always take the trash out.

4. Leave specific feedback after your stays. This will help other airbnb users. We LOVED our home in Switzerland but it smelled like smoke and this wasn't disclosed in the description. It wasn't a huge deal to us but would have been horrible for someone with asthma/allergies. I felt bad sharing that in the review but the host was SO nice...but it's important.

Okay- that's all I could think of. Hope that it makes sense and is hepful.

02/10/2015

Yes, I'm here...I'm here. Sorry for going MIA lately, I've just been in a bit of a slump. But y'all know nothing gets my pulse racing and my mouth babbling like books do. So I thought this would be just the post to get me out of hiatus.

1. Sharp Objects // So freaking creepy. Gillian Flynn is a weirdo or genius. I'm stuck between the two. It terrifies me how easily and believably she writes incredibly messed up scenarios. In my best Jimmy Fallon voice...EW.

2. Wedding in Provence // Light, fluffy, sweet. I needed more of that and less heavy this month. I went lighter in quite a few selections and this one was sweet. Made me long to visit France again.

3. I'll Give You the Sun // This is YA. I read a lot of YA and I love it. Hands down my favorite read this month. Hands.Down. No contest. Get it and read it now. It broke my heart, made me laugh, cry, you name it. I couldn't put it down. It's beautiful.

4.Revival // Classic King. A creepy page turner. It literally gave me chills several times. He is so damn good.

5. They All Fall Down // More YA. This one requires some suspension of disbelief but I don't care. I really loved it, sort of Gossip Girl-ish.

There are a couple more, but these are the ones I wanted to share. You can find all of my recently read books HERE.

I also tried and abandoned a bunch of books. My life got so much better the day I gave myself permission to abandon books I wasn't enjoying!

02/02/2015

Seven! I can't believe it. I still remember the day you were born. Waiting in that hospital room at Fort Hood, praying your daddy would make it home in time. Not sure if you were a Sadie or a Ben. The epidural didn't work and oh how it HURT. You were determined even then.

Daddy didn't make it home in time and you made your entrance into this world the way that you've lived ever since. Loudly and suddenly. When they told me you were a girl I can remember my heart feeling like it was going to explode.

I remember the cleft in your chin and the hair on your sweet head. I remember the way you felt on my chest. Just us.

Ever since that day you have tested me and challenged me. You have hugged me the tightest, fought me the hardest, and loved me the fiercest. You have been a lot of things to me,and easy has never been one of them. You make me laugh the hardest (even when you shouldn't) and you teach me the most about being a parent.

You remind me so much of your daddy. Right down to the way you smirk when I'm angry with you. You aren't impressed by much, but when I get a TRUE Sadie smile it's a rare and special gift.

You will make one hell of a woman. You will be strong, outspoken, and confident. You won't be told no and you won't back down. God help the man that breaks your heart. Because you won't stand for it. And he might not make it out alive.

On your seventh birthday I want you know that I couldn't be prouder of you. I love to see you grow. You are reading like a rock star, solving math problems like a champ. You are strong and a wonderful gymnast. You are snarky and witty and unique. I love you so much it makes my heart ache.

01/26/2015

+ I'd like to read a new book every three days. One day I'd like to write a book too.

+ Id' like to take a shower and pee in peace, for the love of God.

+ I want to go on dates with Jimmy until we are old and gray. I want to hold his hand, laugh at him until I lose my voice, and kiss him until I'm dizzy. Basically I want to always stay the same as we are.

+ I want to visit Provence, France when the lavender is blooming.

+ I want to geniunely learn to love, embrace, and accept my body just the way it is.

+ I want to be a librarian or own a book shop. There is nothing in this world that I'm as passionate about as I am about books and reading. Period.

+ I want to learn to make pasta from scratch.

+ I'd like to stop comparing myself to others. My worth is not determined by how perfect other people's lives appear.

+ I'd like to learn Italian.

+ I want the superpower of being able to tell who my true friends are. The ones who have my back and don't have any patience for people who don't. The ones who make me laugh and call me out and "get" me. No more fakes. Only trues. I'm getting better at this the older I get by the way.

+ I want to learn calligraphy.

+ I'd like to host a creative get together when I move back to America. A weekend of making and bonding and laughing and drinking wine.